GNFCC’s 2026 Small Business of Excellence Winners Jason Etheridge, Logic Speak; John Ray, John Ray Co.; and Diamond Ford, Don’t Touch My Hair by Hollywood, on What It Takes to Build a Small Business in North Fulton (GNFCC 400 Insider, Episode 120)
On this episode of the GNFCC 400 Insider, host Kali Boatright, President and CEO of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, welcomes the winners of the Chamber’s 2026 Small Business of Excellence Awards, recognized this month at the North Fulton Focus Series. They are Jason Etheridge of Logic Speak, Small Business of the Year; John Ray of John Ray Co., Solopreneur of the Year; and Diamond Ford of Don’t Touch My Hair by Hollywood, the Inclusive Business Excellence honoree.
Each guest explains the problem their business solves. Jason describes Logic Speak as the company that takes “the technology hat” off small and midsize business owners. John helps consultants, attorneys, CPAs, and other expertise-based professionals fix their pricing and bring joy back to their businesses. Diamond tells the story of Molly, a 102-year-old client with a weekly hair appointment, acrylic nails, and a standing Friday poker game. She also shares how growing up among five generations of women shaped the salons she runs inside senior living communities.
The conversation turns to the Chamber and to North Fulton. Jason says members get out of the Chamber what they put into it. John calls the region “a magic garden for business,” and Diamond says of North Fulton, “North Fulton chose me.” The three close with advice for anyone considering starting a business: relationships matter more than you expect, do it scared and keep learning, and build a community of mentors and peers to share the weight of ownership.
The GNFCC 400 Insider is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and produced by John Ray and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.
Key Takeaways from This Episode
- Jason Etheridge says members get out of the Chamber what they put in, and that expecting it to be a “slot machine” for sales is the wrong reason to join.
- John Ray left one of the world’s largest banks with a network built for corporate life, not for his own business. He advises future founders to start building local relationships before they launch.
- Diamond Ford’s advice to new owners is to “do it scared” and never stop learning. She recommends Michael E. Gerber’s The E-Myth to technicians who go into business for themselves.
- For Don’t Touch My Hair by Hollywood, inclusion means partnering with the senior living communities it serves. Diamond finds that executive directors with hospitality backgrounds make the best partners.
- All three guests want the community to know that small business owners are paid last, work long days, and collectively drive North Fulton’s economy.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:20 Kali Boatright introduces the 2026 Small Business of Excellence Award winners
02:03 Jason Etheridge, John Ray, and Diamond Ford explain what their businesses do
05:47 John Ray on the Chamber as the one constant in his business
08:07 Jason Etheridge on why you get out of the Chamber what you put into it
10:36 Why North Fulton is the right place to build a business
13:25 Diamond Ford on how North Fulton chose her business
17:31 What each award means and what sets each business apart
23:26 John Ray on why relationships matter more than founders expect
26:48 Diamond Ford on “do it scared” and never stop learning
29:35 Jason Etheridge on lifelong learning and the value of peer groups
Jason Etheridge, CEO and Founder, Logic Speak
Jason Etheridge is the Founder and President of Logic Speak, a managed IT services provider dedicated to empowering the modern workforce through proactive technology strategy, support, and cybersecurity. For more than 20 years, Jason has led the company with a commitment to operational excellence, service innovation, and meaningful community impact. Logic Speak’s mission is to use our abilities and technology to have a positive impact on our clients, employees, and the community, a principle that continues to guide Jason’s leadership and the company’s culture.
Jason began his career as a Technology Consultant with Hewlett-Packard following its acquisition of Extreme Logic, where he received the Extreme Logic Excellence Through Results award for his work with Ernst & Young. Before founding Logic Speak, he also served as Director of Information Technology at Extreme Logic and consulted numerous Atlanta-area businesses, designing and implementing technology systems that improved efficiency and reduced operating costs. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology and has accumulated more than 25 years of experience in the IT industry.
Jason currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and is the Secretary of the Gwinnett Tech Foundation Board of Trustees, contributing his experience in technology, leadership, and organizational growth. He also participates in industry advisory boards, peer groups, and leadership development programs, investing in the success of others and the broader business community. Jason has also previously served as a contractor and volunteer in Guest Services at North Point Community Church.
When he’s not looking for ways to make Logic Speak better, Jason and his wife Jennifer spend their time chasing around their two boys and their labradoodle.
Logic Speak is based in Alpharetta and serves small and medium-sized businesses across the Atlanta area with fully managed IT, co-managed IT for companies with their own IT staff, cybersecurity, IT strategy, and, more recently, AI services. The company has served North Fulton for 22 years.
In October 2026, the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce named Logic Speak its 2026 Small Business of the Year.
LinkedIn | Logic Speak: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
John Ray, Pricing Strategist and Author, John Ray Co.
John Ray helps professionals who sell their expertise price for the value they truly deliver and win business without feeling salesy. He advises consultants, attorneys, coaches, fractional executives, and other solo or small-firm leaders on pricing strategy, value-based proposals, and business development that earns trust.
Grounded in more than a decade advising expert practitioners and earlier roles in finance and M&A at firms such as J.P. Morgan, John works with a practical, value-centered lens. Clients finish with pricing they stand behind, proposals that win, a trust-driven business rooted in generosity, and a way to scale by serving fewer, right-fit clients.
John is the author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices, and he is currently working on a second book, which he expects to release early in 2027.
John hosts The Price and Value Journey, a podcast focused on the unique issues solo and small-firm service providers face. He also hosts North Fulton Business Radio. He has hosted more than 1,400 podcast episodes.
John also serves select clients as a strategic planning facilitator and as a fractional CFO.
In October 2026, the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce named John its 2026 Solopreneur of the Year.
Website | LinkedIn | The Price and Value Journey podcast | The Generosity Mindset book
Diamond Ford, Founder, Don’t Touch My Hair by Hollywood
Diamond Ford is the founder of Don’t Touch My Hair by Hollywood, a luxury salon management company for senior living communities. A master cosmetologist and certified trichologist, she established the company in 2016 with a mission to help seniors look and feel like the stars they are without ever leaving their community.
Diamond got her start running a salon out of her condo. A client who ran the salon inside a senior living community asked Diamond to manage it for her, and that arrangement grew into a contract and a ten-year relationship with the North Fulton community where the business began. She credits growing up among five generations of women for her belief that looking and feeling put together is a form of self-care.
Don’t Touch My Hair by Hollywood runs full-service salons inside senior living communities around Atlanta, including Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, and Vinings, serving residents in independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Each visit is built as a full sensory experience with Old Hollywood imagery and music. Its membership model gives residents consistent care and predictable routines and provides its stylists a steady schedule, and the company also trains beauty professionals to serve seniors.
In October 2026, the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce recognized Diamond and Don’t Touch My Hair by Hollywood with its 2026 Inclusive Business Excellence award.
LinkedIn | Don’t Touch My Hair by Hollywood: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
About GNFCC and The GNFCC 400 Insider Podcast
The GNFCC 400 Insider is sponsored by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC), and the host of the show is Kali Boatright, President and CEO of GNFCC.
The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit, member-driven organization comprised of over 1,400 business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions, and individuals. Their service area includes Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell, and Sandy Springs. GNFCC is the leading voice on economic development, business growth, and quality of life issues in North Fulton County.
As a five-star accredited chamber, GNFCC’s vision is to be the premier organization driving member and community success across the region, and it is dedicated to pursuing this vision based on the guiding principles of advocacy, inclusivity, and operational excellence.
GNFCC promotes the interests of its members by assuming a leadership role in making North Fulton an excellent place to work, live, play, and stay. They provide one voice for all local businesses to influence decision-makers, recommend legislation, and protect the valuable resources that make North Fulton a popular place to live.
For more information on GNFCC and its North Fulton County service area, follow this link or call (770) 993-8806. For more information on other GNFCC events, follow this link.
